every convenient and needful place and places of our kingdom of
England and dominion of Wales one or more honest sufficient and
skilful person or persons of the said art or mystery which shall be
and shall be called the deputy or deputies of the Master Wardens
and Assistants of the said Corporation art or mystery, to be from
time to time hereafter elected nominated and appointed by the said
Master Wardens and Assistants or four of them, whereof the Master
and one of the Wardens of the said corporation art or mystery for
the time being to be always two, and to continue in the place or
places of deputy or deputies of the Master Wardens and Assistants
of the said corporation art or mystery for the time being from the
time of their said election for the space of one whole year next
ensuing or until he be for some just cause removed and some other of
the said corporation art or mystery be elected nominated and sworn
to the said office or place of deputy or deputies according to the
true intent and meaning of these presents.... And we will ordain
and command that every person that shall be from henceforth named
and chosen to be deputy or deputies to the said Master Wardens and
Assistants during the time that he or they or any of them shall
continue in his or their office or offices place or places of
deputyship do and shall from time to time employ the uttermost of
his and their endeavours abilities and skill in the due execution
of this our charter and letters patent and of every branch article
and thing therein contained and of all good and wholesome laws
orders and ordinances which at any time hereafter shall be made
and constituted by the said Master Wardens and Assistants in every
respect according to the true intent and meaning of the same and of
these presents, and in all other causes matters and things concerning
the good and welfare of the said art and mystery, and that they the
said deputies for the time being and every of them shall be from
time to time accomptable to the said Master Wardens and Commonalty
and their successors for all sums of money profits and commodities
by them or any of them to be collected or received by reason or in
respect of his said office or offices place or places of deputy or
deputies, and shall further before he or they execute or undertake
the same office or place of deputy or deputies take a corporal oath
... for the true and due execution of the said office and place, and
also the oath commonly called the Oath of Supremacy.... And ... if
any person or persons so named or elected to be deputy or deputies
to the Master Wardens and Assistants of the said corporation art or
mystery for the time being as aforesaid shall accept the same office
and deputation and then after shall wilfully and obstinately without
good and just cause or excuse refuse to attend or execute the same,
so as no person so nominated be compelled against his will to hold
such place of deputation above the space of two years together,
that then the said Master Wardens and Assistants or the more part
of them shall or may impose upon every such person so refusing to
exercise the said office or place after such acceptance thereof as
aforesaid a reasonable fine not exceeding twenty nobles, to be levied
and paid to the use of the said corporation. And further we will
and by these presents ... do grant unto the said Master Wardens and
Commonalty and their successors that they ... and their successors
shall and may have take and entertain one honest and discreet
person in manner and form hereafter in these presents expressed to
be nominated and chosen which shall be and be called the Clerk of
the said corporation art or mystery of Shipwrights. And we have
assigned made constituted named and ordained ... our well-beloved
subject and servant Richard Newman gent. to be the present Clerk
of the said corporation art or mystery, to be and continue in the
said office during the term of his natural life, unless he for some
misdemeanour shall be removed or dismissed or shall surrender the
same ... [_with power to company to choose successor_]. [_Power to_]
name and appoint any other inferior Officers Ministers and Members
as shall be needful and expedient in to or for the said corporation
art or mystery or the good government and affairs thereof [_and to
remove them_]. [_Power to_] admit receive and take in whatsoever
person or persons being our natural born subjects as well within
this our realm of England as in other our Dominions and places being
under our obeisance and not otherwise which would be and are or
shall be willing and desirous to be of the said corporation as a
member or members thereof, and that all and every person and persons
so to be admitted received and taken in by the said Master Wardens
and Assistants or the more part of them shall from the time of his
or their admission be called and accompted a brother and member or
freeman of the said Corporation in deed and in name ... [_and power
to remove them_]. And to the intent that as well our self our heirs
and successors as also all our merchants and other our subjects may
from time to time hereafter be better furnished stored and supplied
with cunning skilful and sufficient Shipwrights and workmen of that
kind for the making building and repairing of ships pinnaces and
other vessels, and for the avoiding suppressing or preventing as
much as in us lieth of the manifold abuses and deceits therein daily
practised and committed by such persons as are altogether unskilful,
having never been trained or brought up as apprentices in the said
art or mystery according to the laws and statutes of this our realm
of England, we do therefore ... will and grant to the said Master
Wardens and Commonalty of the said art or mystery of Shipwrights of
Redrith and to their successors forever that every Freeman of the
said company shall and may from time to time hereafter have take and
keep one or more apprentice or apprentices to be trained and brought
up under him in the said trade art or mystery of Shipwright, and
that every such apprentice shall be by covenants bound by and to
his master that shall entertain him as aforesaid duly and truly to
serve him as his apprentice for and during the full space and term of
seven years at the least, and to be ordered and used to all intents
and purposes according to the custom of the city of London, and that
the same covenant of apprenticeship be made by writing indented
and registered or enrolled at their common hall before themselves
in their said corporation by their Clerk or his sufficient deputy
or deputies for the time being, and that such enrolment shall be
good and effectual in the law to all intents and purposes against
us our heirs and successors and against all other person or persons
whatsoever, any law statute custom or usage to the contrary in any
wise notwithstanding. Willing and by these presents for us our heirs
and successors straitly charging and commanding that no shipwright
caulker or ship-carpenter or any other being a Freeman of the said
company and using exercising practising or professing the said trade
skill art or mystery of building making trimming dressing graving
launching drawing stocking or repairing of any ships pinnaces or
other vessel or vessels whatsoever for navigation or traffic shall
or may at any time or times hereafter receive have entertain or
keep any apprentice or other servant being not already free of the
said Corporation or not having served with some other shipwright in
the same trade, to be used exercised trained or brought up under
him in the said trade art or mystery as aforesaid except he first
cause every such his servant or apprentice to be bound unto him by
indenture for the said term of seven years at the least or for so
many years as together with the years which he hath served in the
said trade as aforesaid shall make up the number of seven years,
and do likewise cause his said indenture of apprenticeship to be
registered or enrolled before the Clerk of the Company or his deputy
for the time being as aforesaid within one month next after the
taking thereof, upon pain of our heavy displeasure and of such fine
or other punishment as by the laws and statutes of this realm or by
the laws and ordinances already made or hereafter to be made by the
said Master Wardens and Assistants of the said art or mystery for
the time being or the greater part of them according to the true
intent and meaning hereof shall or may be inflicted upon him or
them that shall offend therein. [_Power to_] assemble convocate and
congregate themselves together at or in their common hall or house
being now at Redrith in the County of Surrey or in any other place
or places for the same convenient, and then and there to keep Courts
and consultation for the said corporation art or mystery and the
affairs thereof, and the perquisites issues and profits of the said
Court or Courts so to be held and kept to leave take and perceive to
and for the use of the said Corporation for the better maintenance
and preservation thereof, without any accompt to be made or rendered
to us our heirs or successors in that behalf. [_And power_] then
and there to treat consult commune determine and agree amongst
themselves or with any other person or persons whatsoever, of upon
and concerning the good estate benefit conversation and wholesome
rule government and ordering of the said Corporation art or mystery
and the men apprentices workmen workmanship and all other the affairs
and things to the same belonging or thereupon in any wise depending,
and at in and upon such their assemblies meetings and conferences
to make ordain and constitute such and so many good wholesome and
reasonable laws statutes articles constitutions orders and ordinances
whatsoever as to them or the greater part of them being then and
there present, whereof the Master and one of the Wardens for the
time being to be always two, shall seem reasonable necessary meet
and convenient for touching or concerning the premises, and for the
better advancement performance and continuance of the same, and
also for the better directing how and in what order and manner the
said Master Wardens and Commonalty and all other person and persons
using the said art or mystery within our said realm of England or
Dominion of Wales shall demean and behave themselves as well in all
and singular matters and things touching or concerning the said art
or mystery or any thing thereunto appertaining as also in their
several offices functions ministries and businesses touching or
concerning the said art or mystery as aforesaid, and the same laws
orders articles and constitutions so made or any of them to put in
use and execute accordingly, and at their will again to revoke alter
or change when and as often as occasion shall thereto require. [_The
Regulations, &c., when_] entered and registered in some public book
to be kept for that purpose ... shall be holden as laws ordinances
and statutes amongst them to be put in use and execution, and shall
bind all persons of the said Corporation art or mystery and all
shipwrights and workmen of that profession in any place port haven
or town within our said realm of England and dominion of Wales, as
well the subjects of the same our realm and dominions as strangers
and aliens for and during the time of their being in or upon any
part of our said realm coasts or dominions or any creeks or harbours
of the same, to observe obey and perform the same from time to time
in all things as the same ought to be, upon the pains penalties and
punishments in the same to be imposed inflicted and limited so always
as the said laws statutes articles orders ordinances pains penalties
and punishments and every of them be agreeable to reason and justice
and not contrary or repugnant to the laws statutes rights or customs
of this our realm of England, nor derogatory to the jurisdictions
and pre-eminences of the Lord High Admiral of England for the
time being or to the Court of Admiralty of England or the Judges
Register or Marshall of that Court for the time being or any of them.
[_Power to impose_] pains penalties punishments fines amercements
and forfeitures ... and for default of payment ... to distrain the
goods and chattels of such offender and the same to keep till they
shall be satisfied or otherwise to bring their action for the same
according to law. And ... all and singular fines forfeitures sum and
sums of money whatsoever due or hereafter to be due and received by
reason of the said decrees orders or ordinances shall be to the use
commodity and sole benefit and behoof of the said Corporation without
any accompt or other thing therefore to us our heirs or successors
to be yielded paid rendered made or done in that behalf, and without
any let trouble molestation or interruption of any person or persons
whatsoever for the same. [_Powers_] by writing under their common
seal ... to ask levy have receive and take in all and every place
and places within our said realm of England and Dominion of Wales as
well of every Master Workman Shipwright or other person or persons
that shall hereafter make or build or cause to be made or built any
new ship or ships vessel or vessels of the burthen of one hundred
ton or more or less all and singular such profits dues duties fees
allowances sum and sums of money whatsoever after such rate and in
such manner and form as at any time or times heretofore themselves or
their predecessors by any name or names of corporation by under or by
force and virtue of any former charter or letters patent by them or
any of them given or granted or by any other lawful and reasonable
way or means have or ought to have received had taken or enjoyed the
same by way of tonnage quarterage poundage or otherwise, and also
all and every such fines amercements penalties sum and sums of money
as shall be by force and virtue of these our letters patent or any
their laws orders ordinances statutes or jurisdictions already made
or hereafter to be made for the good government of the said company
assessed or imposed upon any person or persons whatsoever ... [_and_]
to enter and distrain any the goods and chattels of the person or
persons so offending denying or withholding the same in any place
or places whatsoever where the same goods and chattels or any of
them shall or may be found ... and ... to sue for and recover the
same dues duties allowances fines amercements penalties impositions
sum and sums of money in any of our Court or Courts of Record....
And to the end that the secret of the said art or mystery and the
manner of our English building and new making of ships pinnaces and
other vessels should for more strength and safety of our realms and
kingdoms be kept secret to and within ourselves and our said realms
and dominions and altogether unknown to aliens and strangers of other
Nations, our will and pleasure is and we do by these presents for us
our heirs and successors straitly charge and command that no person
or persons whatsoever of the said art or mystery of Shipwrights do
at any time or times hereafter directly or indirectly by any ways
or means whatsoever presume or attempt to discover or make known
to any foreigner or stranger not being a natural born subject of
us our heirs or successors or not being naturalised or indenized
nor to any other person or persons not being free and sworn of and
to the said Corporation nor being a servant or apprentice to the
said art or mystery the secrets of the said trade art or mystery or
the special manner of our English building or new making of ships
pinnaces or other vessels as aforesaid, nor do take any alien or
stranger born being not naturalised or indenized to be his or their
apprentice or servant, upon pain of our high displeasure and of
such further punishment as by the laws and statutes of this realm
or the ordinances and laws so made or to be made by the said Master
Wardens and Assistants or the greater part of them as aforesaid
can or may be inflicted upon such offender or offenders for the
same. And to the end our will and pleasure herein may be the better
observed and performed and the offender punished we do further by
these presents give and grant [_power to_] impose upon every such
offender a reasonable fine according to the quality of his offence
at the discretion of the said Master Wardens and Assistants or the
more part of them, the same fine to be forfeited and paid by the
person or persons so offending to the sole benefit use and behoof of
the said Corporation for the better maintenance and upholding of the
same and relieving of the poor of the said Corporation. [_Power_] to
examine and punish by fine or such other correction as the quality
of the offence shall deserve and require every person which shall
unlawfully depart or go away from his work after he hath been hired
or agreed withal for wages before the time or times of his retainer
or retainers be expired, or shall be found to grow mutinous stubborn
or disobedient or in any way a provoker seducer or enticer of any
other to any mutiny or disobedience to the hurt injury or likelihood
of hurt or injury of the said Corporation or of the good government
and order therein or of any service whatsoever, and also to examine
hear and order all and every the complaints of or against any
shipwright or other workmen of the said Corporation art or profession
or of or against any of his or their journeymen apprentices or
servants. And of our more ample grace certain knowledge and mere
motion and for the better suppressing and reformation of the deceits
and abuses first above mentioned [_power given_] to and for the
said Master and Wardens or any two of them for the time being and
also to and for any two of the said Assistants or other two persons
being skilful or which hereafter shall be skilful in the said art or
mystery being thereunto deputed and authorised by writing under the
common seal of the said Master Wardens and Commonalty, first taking
his or their corporal oath or oaths upon the Evangelist ... for the
due execution of their said offices or places ... at all convenient
time or times, taking with them if need so require a constable or any
other his Majesty's officer or officers of the city town or place,
to search view and survey all manner of timber wood and other stuff
provided prepared and fitted for the building making or repairing of
any ships pinnaces or other vessels in any place or places whatsoever
within our realm of England and dominion of Wales or in either of
them, and also to search view and survey all and every the works
and workmanship of all and every person and persons whatsoever in
making working building or repairing ... any manner of ships pinnaces
boats or other vessels whatsoever within our said realm of England
and dominion of Wales or either of them, and that it shall and may
be lawful to and for the said Master and Wardens or any two of them
or their deputies so authorised as aforesaid all and singular ships
pinnaces boats and other vessels hereafter to be built to view search
and survey, and such of them whereof the timber work at the time
of such search shall not be fully finished and which at the time
of such search view or survey so to be made as aforesaid shall be
found to be so insufficiently falsely and deceitfully made wrought
or repaired as they must needs be by that means dangerous to such as
shall use or employ them, to arrest and stay until the same shall
be reformed amended repaired and made fit for navigation. And our
further will and pleasure is that if the said persons before by these
presents authorised to make such search as aforesaid or any of them
shall happen to find any sappy wood red wood or other insufficient
wood or timber to be put into any ships pinnaces or other vessels
or hewn wrought and fitted for that purpose, that then the said
persons or any of them shall forthwith charge and warn the makers
or owners of such ships pinnaces or other vessels forthwith to take
away the said sappy wood red wood and other insufficient wood and
timber and to supply the same with other sufficient timber and wood.
And if within convenient time after such charge and warning given
as is aforesaid the said sappy wood red wood and other insufficient
wood and timber be not taken away and the same supplied with other
good and sufficient timber and wood as is aforesaid, that then it
shall and may be lawful to and for the said Master and Wardens or
any two of them or any two of the said Assistants or any such deputy
or deputies as aforesaid to take and deface all such sappy wood and
red wood and all and singular such other timber and wood which upon
any such search and view and after convenient admonition and warning
given to take the same away and to supply it with better and more
sufficient wood and timber they shall find to be put in or apparently
intended to be put into any ship pinnace or other vessel or hewn
and cut out or wrought for that purpose, manifestly tending to the
prejudice and damage of us our heirs and successors or of any other
our loving subjects merchants and mariners whose goods and lives are
hazarded and often lost by reason of such ill stuff, the use of all
which sappy and red wood and other insufficient stuff we do hereby
for us our heirs and successors straitly prohibit and restrain to be
used or employed in any sort in or upon any ship or other vessel.
[_Power_] to impose and inflict such punishment upon every offender
in that behalf either by fine or imprisonment or both of them as
by the laws or statutes of this realm or by any laws or ordinances
to be made by the said Corporation as is aforesaid shall or may be
imposed or inflicted upon them for their offences in that behalf or
otherwise that the said Master and Wardens or any two of them or
such other person or persons so authorised as aforesaid and which
upon such search shall find any of the deceits and abuses aforesaid
shall complain thereof to some Justice or Justices of Peace within
that place or county where such deceits and abuses shall be found.
And we do ... straitly charge and command all and every our Justice
and Justices of the Peace whatsoever to whom any such complaint or
complaints shall so be made as is aforesaid that they and every of
them shall by all good and lawful ways and means examine and find out
the truth of the said complaints abuses and deceits, and if upon due
examination thereof they shall find that any such abuses and deceits
have been committed as aforesaid, that then they cause the party or
parties so offending to be indicted or otherwise punished for such
his and their abuses and deceits either before our Justices of Peace
in the county where the same abuses and deceits shall be committed
and found at their Sessions of the Peace or before the Justices of
Assize of the same county or before any other lawful judge or judges,
to the end that the said person or persons so offending may receive
such condign punishment as by the laws and statutes of this realm
can or may be inflicted upon him or them for his or their offence
or offences in that behalf. And ... we do ... straitly charge and
command the said Master Wardens and Assistants of the said art or
mystery and their successors for the time being that once in every
month at the least such search be made as is aforesaid, and that
the authority hereby in that behalf to them given be put in due
execution without any respect of persons or partiality whatsoever.
Provided always nevertheless and our will and pleasure is that
neither the Master nor Wardens of the said art or mystery for the
time being or any their deputy or deputies so authorised to search
as is aforesaid shall not by colour of these letters patent meddle
with or do anything to the hindrance stay or prevention of any ship
pinnace or other vessel that is or shall be at the time of such
their search as aforesaid ready to go forth for an intended voyage
or journey or the master owner mariners sailors or other officers of
the same, any thing in these presents to the contrary thereof in any
wise notwithstanding. [_Power_] to buy and provide in any the places
beyond the Seas all such timber planks masts deals spars and wood
and wooden stuff and also all pitch tar rosin and oil as they shall
think necessary and convenient for the building or repairing graving
or fitting of ships pinnaces or other vessels, and the same so bought
and provided shall and may from time to time for ever hereafter bring
or cause to be brought into this our realm of England and dominion of
Wales or any part or place thereof and the same discharge and lay on
land, paying to us our heirs and successors the full Custom poundage
and other duties due or which hereafter shall be due to us our heirs
or successors any law statute custom proclamation or any other matter
cause or thing to the contrary notwithstanding. And whereas for the
better maintenance of navigation and encouragement of our loving
subjects to increase shipping within this our realm there is and hath
been of ancient time an allowance given by us and our predecessors
of five shillings sterling for every ton of any new builded ship
to be rated according to the burthen of the said ship did contain
in burthen one hundred tons or upwards in ton and tonnage, which
laudable custom we being pleased to continue, and finding it
also convenient as well for the avoiding of abuses that might be
offered in rating and setting down the tonnage of the said ships
and otherwise as also that the builder might have his right and due
allowance of tonnage, to appoint some person or persons of knowledge
and experience for the surveying and overseeing of the true rates and
tonnage in that behalf, we did by our letters patent under our great
seal of England bearing date the four and twentieth day of April in
the third year of our reign give and grant to John Grent gent. for
and during his natural life the office and place of surveyor of the
tonnage and burthen of all new builded ships of the burthen above
mentioned or upwards from time to time within this our realm of
England, together with the wages and fee of twelve pence by the day
of lawful money of England for the exercising of the said office or
place, together with all and singular other fees profits commodities
and allowances whatsoever to the same place or office in any wise due
incident or appertaining, with a proviso or clause therein contained
that the said John Grent in the rating and setting down of the
tonnage and burden of the said new builded ships from time to time
should use the advice and assistance of one of our shipwrights to
be nominated and appointed by our High Admiral of England for the
time being, and that all and every such bill of tonnage as should be
presented to us to be signed for the said allowance of five shillings
upon every ton of the burden of the said ship should be first allowed
under the hand of the said surveyor and signed by the said Admiral or
his deputy for the time being as hath been accustomed. And whereas
by our letters patent bearing date the eight and twentieth day of
January in the fourth year of our reign we did grant or mention to
grant unto Humfrey Jobson gent. for and during his natural life the
reversion of the said office or place of surveyor of the tonnage
and burden of all new builded ships of the burden of one hundred
ton above mentioned or upwards from time to time within our realm
of England next after the death forfeiture or surrender of the said
John Grent, together with the wages and fee of twelve pence a day
for the exercising of the said office and place and all and singular
other fees profits commodities and allowances whatsoever to the same
place or office in any wise due incident or appertaining, as in and
by the said two several letters patent more at large appeareth, and
whereas of late we have been much wronged defrauded and abused in
that sundry of the said ships for want of exact viewing surveying and
measuring have been overrated in their burden and tonnage, whereby
we have been charged with the payment of a greater allowance than in
truth we ought to have been, know ye therefore that we reposing a